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Minnesota House to consider joining unallotment lawsuit

A committee in the Minnesota House will meet on Monday to consider whether the House should join a lawsuit challenging Gov. Pawlenty's budget cuts.

In July, Pawlenty unilaterally erased a $2.7 billion budget deficit after he couldn't reach a deal with the DFL legislative leaders. Last month, six low-income Minnesotans filed a lawsuit in Ramsey County District Court asking a judge to restore funding for two programs because they believe the cuts were unconstitutional.

DFL Rep. Ryan Winkler of Golden Valley said the House Rules Committee should vote to join the suit.

"If we allow this precedent to stand, it's going to bad for both sides of the political aisle and it's going to be bad for the institutions and it's going to be bad for the state," Winkler said. "I would hope that they agree and at least be willing to take the position that the institution of the Legislature needs to stand up for its own authority."

A spokesman for the Minnesota Senate said there are no plans for the Senate to get involved in the lawsuit. Gov. Pawlenty has said that he believes he'll win in court.